Chicago publisher nabs Pope Francis book

Loyola Press, the publishing arm of the Chicago-area Jesuits, has "beat out the nation's top publishing houses for the rights to produce the North American English translation of Pope Francis' first book written as pontiff," the Chicago Tribune reports.

Loyola Press "expects to publish 'The Church of Mercy,' a compilation of essays, speeches, and homilies by Pope Francis since his election, in time for Easter," the Tribune writes. "Readers can reserve copies starting March 13, the one-year anniversary of the pope's election."

Also today, Pope Francis named a priest from Illinois as the new bishop for the Roman Catholic diocese of Wichita, the AP reports.

Monsignor Carl Kemme, vicar general of the Diocese of Springfield, Ill., "will be the 11th bishop of Wichita," the AP writes. "The appointment was announced in Washington, D.C., by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano, apostolic nuncio to the United States."

"The 53-year-old Kemme will be ordained May 1. He will replace former Bishop Michael O. Jackels, who was appointed archbishop in Dubuque, Iowa, last April."